Former Army Secretary, Military Family and Veterans Leaders, and University Presidents to Spotlight Tuition Assistance Modernization on Capitol Hill

Briefing will examine proposed FY 2027 NDAA updates to the Department of Defense program and their impact on today's service members

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, September 22, National University will host a Capitol Hill policy briefing on the future of the U.S. Department of Defense's Tuition Assistance program. The event will bring together a former secretary of the U.S. Army, military family and veterans advocates, university presidents and experts on the military-to-civilian transition to examine how education benefits can strengthen military readiness, recruitment and retention while helping service members build pathways to recognized credentials and rewarding civilian careers.

Each year, roughly 200,000 service members leave the military and begin the transition to civilian life. At the same time, the Tuition Assistance program serves approximately 200,000 to 300,000 active-duty, Reserve and Coast Guard members annually. Authorized more than two decades ago, the benefit is widely recognized as an important tool for supporting military recruitment, retention and workforce transition. Yet as tuition costs have risen and new education and credentialing pathways have emerged, the program's per-credit-hour tuition limit has remained unchanged for more than 20 years.

The House and Senate have each included language addressing Tuition Assistance in their respective versions of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act. The briefing will provide background on those provisions, examine the difference between the House and Senate language, and discuss the implications for service members as Congress works to reconcile the two bills.

WHAT: A Congressional Policy Briefing on the Future of Military Education Benefits and the FY 2027 NDAA

WHO:

• Patrick Murphy, former acting secretary and under secretary of the U.S. Army and former member of Congress
• Dr. Mark Milliron, president and CEO, National University
• Besa Pinchotti, CEO, National Military Family Association
• Dr. Gregory Fowler, president, University of Maryland Global Campus

WHEN: Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. ET

WHERE: Longworth House Office Building, Room 1539 Washington, D.C.

REGISTRATION: Space is limited. Advance registration is requested. Register here.

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SOURCE National University